Use of and applications for Internet networks, including the so-called "World Wide Web" ("Web"), increases daily. The Web is a network of computer information storage sites, and each site can include one or more information displays, colloquially referred to as "pages". Essentially, a Web site presents advertising or other information regarding a particular organization. A person with a computer and a software system referred to as a "browser" can connect the computer to the Internet (and, hence, to the Web), usually via a telephone line, and with the aid of the browser, access the various Web pages.
Another popular feature of the Internet are so-called "chat rooms". Essentially, a chat room is a computer site that can be accessed (i.e., "logged onto") simultaneously by many users, with each user being able to input text material intended to be conversational in nature. The conversational input from, e.g., a first user is relayed to the computers of the other users who also happen to be logged onto the chat room, such that the text from the first user is presented to the other users. Then, the other users can respond if they like by inputting text material of their own, and their text material is likewise relayed to the other "occupants" of the chat room, including the first user. In this way, computer users around the globe can undertake dialogues with each other in real time. Further, once a dialog has been established between two particular users, the users can arrange to "meet" in (i.e., transfer to) a private chat room that can be accessed only by the two users, so that the two users can continue their conversation in private.
Not surprisingly, particular chat rooms typically are focussed on particular subject matters, so that the general topic of conversation can be known by users prior to entering a chat room. For example, the topic of discussion in one chat room might be off-road vehicles, whereas the topic of discussion in another chat room might be "singles over thirty". Still another topic of discussion might be a popular television show.
As recognized by the present invention, however, chat rooms offer no other real time topic-related features apart from the conversations between users. As further recognized by the present invention, users' enjoyment of chat rooms, particularly chat rooms focussed on television, radio, or other broadcast programs, can be enhanced with real time enhancement features.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for real time enhancement of a computer network chat room. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for enhancing a chat room that is focussed on a broadcast program. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for enhancing a chat room that is easy to use and cost-effective.